1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to decorative glass panels which may be used for windows and the like and, more particularly, to such panels which are formed with beveled laminated pieces to simulate leaded glass windows.
2. Description of the Related Art
Leaded glass windows wherein pieces of glass are fitted together and supported by a lead came or molding that has channels to contain the marginal edges of the fitted pieces are common. They have been long known and used, and are currently in vogue. However, they present certain drawbacks. They require fabrication by skilled artisans which makes them rather costly. Any settling of the panel or its mounting framework with time tends to shift the pieces, sometimes creating gaps which render the window unsightly and permitting rain and wind to penetrate the window. Even properly formed leaded windows are often not sufficiently weather-tight to permit such windows to be used under all circumstances, particularly where a leaded window is desired to be used as one panel of a multipanel insulated window.
There have been suggestions for simulating leaded glass windows incorporating a single piece of glass as the basic window with various types of overlays and simulated came. U.S. Pat. No. 3,420,730 of Ellefson discloses a window pane with thin decorative overlays secured at their marginal edges to the window with tape. This is a simulated stained glass window with an overlay of about 0.001" and a metallic lead tape with a thickness of about 0.022". This is not a satisfactory simulation of a leaded glass window because the aesthetic effect is deficient.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,880 of Drennan discloses a came of special construction which can be applied to a window which has a flat surface. However, the aesthetic effect of this simulated leaded glass window is deficient, since it merely includes strips of came adhered to a flat glass surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,739 of Drennan addresses the deficiency noted above with respect to the '880 patent in that it uses beveled glass pieces placed over a single flat pane and held in position by an encircling bead of adhesive and came outlining. However, this requires a specially configured simulated came having one surface angled to adhere to the flat glass pane and another surface angled to adhere to the beveled edge of the added piece. In one embodiment disclosed in this patent, special inserts are required to provide the build-up needed to accommodate the thickness of the beveled edges of the additional pieces. This embodiment, shown in cross section in FIG. 4 of the '739 patent is somewhat similar to a technique which has been employed involving narrow lead strips placed about the terminal edges of the beveled pieces so that conventional cover strips of lead can be used over the narrow buildup strips with improved aesthetic effect and adherence effectiveness.